An efficient and facile approach to the regioselective synthesis of N-tosyloxazolidinones from the corresponding N-tosylaziridines and CO2 was developed using dual catalytic systems involving an early transition metal coordination compound as a Lewis acid and a nucleophilic cocatalyst. Among the screened Lewis acids, halogen-free niobium pentaethoxide (Nb(OEt)5) displayed the best catalytic activity
cycloaddition reaction with carbon dioxide. The reaction was successfully catalyzed by lithium bromide under atmospheric pressure to give the corresponding five-membered cyclic urethane, N-tosyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one, selectively. It was found that electron-donating nature of the substituent at 2-position of N-tosylaziridine accelerated the reaction, and this tendency allowed us to estimate the reaction mechanism